Some Economists See Bank of Japan Holding Fire All Year

Most economists have for some time expected the Bank of Japan to implement further monetary easing this year, so much so that the central bank governor’s comments this month that such a move wouldn’t come anytime soon helped send stocks sharply lower and the yen higher. But some opinions are shifting–toward no action at all.

Still, four of 11 economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal said they expected the BOJ to refrain from any further easing this year. That’s up from only one who took that position during January’s survey, although not all of the same economists were surveyed.